A plunged into the Hudson River on Thursday, turning a family outing above Manhattan’s misty skyline into a tragedy.

The helicopter carried six people, including three children and their parents – who have both worked for Siemens, a German multinational technology conglomerate. It lifted off from a Manhattan heliport and followed a familiar route: circling the Statue of Liberty, gliding north along the Hudson toward the George Washington Bridge and then turning south. About 16 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft crashed into the water, according to analysis by CNN and FlightRadar24.

Witnesses described the helicopter flipping and spiraling before crashing near the New Jersey shoreline upside down, scattering debris across the river.

A Siemens family and pilot among the victims

The victims include Agustín Escobar, 49, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the family was visiting from Spain, and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said in a that the family was in New York to celebrate Camprubí’s 40th birthday.

The pilot was also killed, though officials have not yet released their identity.

The cause of the crash remains unclear, but its sudden descent stunned witnesses as first responders raced to rescue the victims.

The helicopter took off at 2:59 p.m. from Manhattan’s downtown heliport following a popular sightseeing route, New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. After circling the Statue of Liberty, it flew north along the Hudson River, reaching the George Washington Bridge by 3:08 p.m. It then turned south along the New Jersey shoreline, where it lost control shortly after, Tisch said.

First responders from NYPD and New York City Fire Department teams pulled six people from the water. Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others succumbed to injuries shortly after, Tisch said. Two children were taken to Jersey City Medical Center, where they were later pronounced dead, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop .